


Gather Beds of Roses

by Dorian



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 05:57:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3370376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dorian/pseuds/Dorian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Throughout the honey-slow year Gwen brings her mistress flowers--yellow jonquils, pale wild roses, profusions of humble wildflowers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gather Beds of Roses

Throughout the honey-slow year Gwen brings her mistress flowers--yellow jonquils, pale wild roses, profusions of humble wildflowers. Their hands brush delicately.  
  
But outside the first snow has fallen, the dead world turned white. The sky is a hard clear blue. Morgana's bed is empty and cold, her chambers deserted.   
  
Another walk, Gwen thinks with a sigh: lately Morgana wanders beyond the castle's walls--eyes glassy and seeing things that are not there--at night or in the still silent hours near dawn. It's foolish and dangerous but no one can stop her, not Arthur with long arguments, not Uther with guards outside her door. If Gwen finds her first there is always less trouble.   
  
So Gwen follows the tracks in the snow across a white lawn to the old queen's garden, on a hunch. She's become good at this.  
  
The garden is wild, overgrown, neglected. The bench Morgana sits on is covered in snow.  
  
"My lady," Gwen says as she takes Morgana's cold white hands and waits.  
  
"Do you love me?"   
  
"Yes." The answer slips out. "Well, as a mistress. But not  _only_  as a mistress. What I mean is--" She's about to pull the tangle of words tighter the way nervous fingers worry a loose thread, when Morgana smiles and kisses her silent. It's a brief, delicate touch of lips. Morgana's mouth is icy cold.  
  
"You do." Her focus drifts away again, her beautiful face taking on that awful stillness. "It won't be enough in the end."  
  
Morgana's fingers tighten like she feels Gwen slipping away and wishes desperately to keep her close. The tears freeze on her pale face.   
  
"Come back," Gwen whispers. Meaning  _inside_. Meaning  _to yourself_.  
  
But Morgana is lost and faded as a ghost, swallowed by dreams, and there are no flowers left.


End file.
